Pioneer BDP-LX91 or Marantz BD8002

[admin_exported]

Just wondering if anyone has seen both of these players who can offer an opinion? I've read the WHF reviews and I've seen / heard the Marantz in action but I'm still undecided. It's unlikely that I'll be able to do a straight comparison. Audio would be via a Yamaha Z7 & the screen is a Pioneer KRP 500. My aim would be to buy the best player for BD & CD that I can find and not to upgrade for a long time

I would prefer to avoid having a separate CD player as my intention is to move to a digital music source.

 

[pioneer7]

The Pioneer LX-91 will go brilliantly with KRP-500 I have seen the LX-91 and it is superlative quality and CD play back is superb, Build quality are first rate, and looks are excellent, you can buy with confidence and not have to worry about upgrading anytime time soon, i saw this with a 5090 and blew me away, i did not think a Blu-ray player could be any better than what i have seen already, i thought the FD-51 was good especailly for the money, but the LX-91 is in a different class, the Denon 3800 is a great player and was very impressed, but again the pioneer edged it some way, the picture are super sharp, and colours you feel like you could dive in and swim in them, i am biased towards pioneer products but this is genuinly a player to beat, i should imagine the only player that will be as good, if not better is the new all singing Denon which comes out soon this has SACD play back and is a monster BUT this will set you back £3,500-£4000 and i can say that i can not see the denon being "£2000 better thn this player, i thought this about the FD-51 and asked myself if this player LX-91 was worth the extra £1200 or so more, but it truly is.

If you can try to get to have a dem, even it means travelling a bit it will be worth it then at least you can decide for your self if it is better than the Marrantz, or it could be that you like the Marrantz more, either way both players would give you much enjoyment, but my money would be on the pioneer.

Just for your info as well WHFSAV will be carrying out a group test with high end Blu-ray players including Pioneer,Denon, Sony and the Marrantz so it might be worth hanging on untill you read the out come of the test, but at the end of the day it can be only you that can decide which player you like, so do try and get a dem.

Hope this helps a bit.

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Many thanks for taking the time to reply Andy. I could not afford the new Denon so this choice wouldn't be an option. I just hoped that the LX-91 would be better than the BD8002 by a big margin. Apart from anything else it would fit better with my other kit aesthetically, not that this is any great reason to choose one over the other.

I've had a look around the forums this afternoon on this subject & it certainly seems that opinions vary. One reviewer rated the Denon 3800 above the LX-91 by a fair margin. From a failing memory I seem to recall mention of the fact that the Marantz may be related to the 3800.

I will try to get some time organised to demo the LX-91 if possible.

Cheers,

Callum

 

[pioneer7]

Your welcome, as for different opinions this is why you need really to dem the players, as i said the Denon is a fine player, but felt the pioneer gave a more 3-dimetionality, therefore if you can dem the players you can decide which one to go for, and seeing i am biased to pioneer products i would say the 91 is better, anyway happy hunting.

Andy

 

[Clare Newsome]

Callum66:
From a failing memory I seem to recall mention of the fact that the Marantz may be related to the 3800.

Iÿwill try to get some time organised to demo the LX-91 if possible.

Cheers,

Callum

Good to hear you're having a demo. We certainly had a lot of fun doing the Group Test (with subscribers from April 3rd; in shops by 8th)!

And yes, the Marantz and Denon players are close siblings - main differences are sonic, rather than visual.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks again Andy, nothing wrong with being biased towards a particular brand if you've had good results & service from them over a period of time

Hi Clare, seems like my dealer may have been keeping a close eye on me as he very kindly called yesterday to offer the loan of a demo LX91 in addition to the BD8002. Sounds like I may have a bit of fun trying to compare the two. However, I suspect that my limited experience with these products will mean that I'm unable me to tell much difference between them. I was a little disappointed to see the BD8002 just getting four stars in the recent issue hence my indecision.

Keep up the good work